A hunt leader dismounted from his horse and punched a female saboteur in the face before attacking her husband, a court heard.

Jonathan Broise, 46, of London Road, Petworth, is accused of leaving library assistant Jaine Wild needing six stitches in her face and a broken septum.

There were gasps from the jury at Chichester Crown Court yesterday when a video of the alleged attack was shown.

Richard Cherrill, prosecuting, told how Mrs Wild and her husband Simon - who filmed the incident - had entered private land in Petworth Park last October in a bid to disrupt a meeting of the Chiddingfold, Leconfield and Cowdray Hunt.

The event, which had started at 7.30am, had reached a point known locally as Pheasant Copse when the couple were spotted by Broise in woodland.

Mr Cherrill said: "There came a time when Mrs Wild had her back up against trees and this defendant rode his horse at her. She was not in a position to escape.

"She said she thinks she was headbutted by him and then punched a number of times around the face and head. It caused her to fall to the ground.

"Mr Wild saw what was going on and went to attempt to rescue his wife. He was prevented from doing so because he was then attacked by the defendant.

"He was punched in the face and stomach, which caused him to go to the ground."

The court heard how Mr Wild managed to put Broise in a headlock before other members of the anti-hunt group broke up the fight.

Mrs Wild, 48, who lives in Bognor Regis and also runs an animal rescue centre with her husband, said she and her husband had clashed with the defendant on several occasions in the 20 years in which the couple had protested against hunting.

Mrs Wild said: "I got the feeling there was something by my right shoulder. I looked up and it was Broise. It was his horse and it was touching me. It was close to my head. He was using the reins to push the horse's head against me.

"I would have tried to move away but I couldn't because there were all these trees and shrubs. I was thinking 'Oh God'. I shouted 'Simon, camera'. That's something we shout to each other when there is something going on.

"He got off his horse and came towards me. He lunged at me and his riding helmet hit me on the bridge of the nose."

Mrs Wild, who met her husband at a demonstration more than 13 years ago, told the court Broise rained punches on her, hitting her at least three times.

She said: "I was just thinking, please stop, no more. He hit me an incredible amount. I could feel blood pumping everywhere. It was pouring down my neck and on to my underclothes."

Mrs Wild said she was left lying on the ground as Broise went after her husband and filmed him straddling her partner on the ground.

She said: "I grabbed for my mobile phone and dialled 999. I can remember someone asking me where I was. I then reached for my video camera. I thought if I could film the last minutes of my husband's life then that is something."

The court was shown another video taken by Mrs Wild of fellow hunt protesters pulling Broise from Mr Wild and then leaving the area.

In cross-examination, Mrs Wild admitted to Anthony Chinn QC, defending, that she had intended to interfere with the hunt and had been involved in animal welfare protests since the age of 18.

Mrs Wild said it was common practice to spray perfume on the ground in a bid to prevent hounds tracking the smell of terrified foxes.

The court heard that earlier this year, Mrs Wild was arrested for trespassing at a farm in Billingshurst, West Sussex, during a hunt and was later charged with assaulting a man in charge of terrier dogs. She denied the charge but later pleaded guilty to the assault charge.

Mr Chinn said she changed her plea in order to be able to attend other hunts. Before pleading guilty, magistrates had imposed bail conditions preventing her from attending any hunt involving the Chiddingfold, Leconfield and Cowdray hunts.

Broise, who denies a charge of assault causing bodily harm, had voluntarily attended a local police station the following day.

He claimed he had dismounted his horse well before the incident and had merely pushed Mrs Wild on her chest. Broise also alleged that she sprayed him in the face with a cheap perfume.

But the video clearly illustrated a man dismounting his horse and punching Mrs Wild several times in the face. The prosecution say the man was Broise.

The trial continues.